Bed bath



Sept. 11, 1951 c. A. HOFFMAN BED BATH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9,1948 M Rm w mH R mu m R A m. M w

ATTORNEY S p 1951 c. A. HOFFMAN BED BATH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9,1948 M m MP T0 mun WM m R A w M m,

A 7' TOR/YE Y Patented Sept. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEDBATH Charles Arthur Hoffman, Oakland, Calif.

Application November 9, 1948, Serial No. 59,178

3 Claims.

The invention, in general, relates to equipment especially useful in andaround hospitals and more particularly relates to an improved bathequipment highly eflicacious in physiotherapy and hydrotherapy in casesof invalidism or semi-invalidism.

The bathing as well as hydrotherapic treatment of patients unable tomake use of their limbs or to move about because of back or otherailment rendering them paralyzed or partially paralyzed is an arduoustask often detrimental to the convalescence and recovery of patients.Hydrotherapic. treatment of bed-ridden patients has, heretofore, beenalmost an impossibility due to lack of desirable equipment and, whenacconn plished under present methods the patient is usually left in anextremely exhausted state. Even the bathing of paralytics under presentmethods and using equipment now available is highly undesirable since itis usually accomplished more or less piece-meal in that various portionsof the patients body are washed in step by step stages to the discomfortof the patient because being constantly moved about for appreciableperiods of time until bathing is completed. The present invention isdirected to the provision of equipment which not only obviates inherentdisadvantages heretofore encountered in the bathing of paraplegics butalso which afiords eflicacious means for hydrotherapic as Well asphysiotherapic treatment of invalids and semiinvalid's.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved bed bath,especially suitable for the bathing as well as hydrotherapic' treatmentof paralytics, which can readily be set up and employed upon thepatients bed without undue discomfort to the patient and. which greatlyfacilitates the bathing and treatment on the part of the hospital staff.

Another important object of my invention is to provide an improved bedbath of the indicated nature which is additionally characterized by itscollapsible and simple construction enabling the bath to be readily setup for use on a bed and as readily dismantled for storing ortransporting.v

A still further object of the present invention is to provide acollapsible bed bath of the aforementioned character which isleak-proof, durable and yet of light-weight construction for facilitating the handling and use thereof as well as enabling it to be mountedupon a conventional hospital or other type bed without likelihood ofdamaging the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed bath of theindicated nature which is especially suitable and adaptable to hospitaluse for physiotherapy and hydrotherapy in cases of invalidism orsemi-invalidism, and which greatly relieves the heavy burden upon nursesand others in the handling of the patient during such treatments witheminimum of discomfort to and minimum movement of the patient.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageousfeatures thereof, will appear from the following description of apreferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.It is to be understood, however, that I am not to be limited to theprecise embodiments shown, nor to the precise arrangement of the variousparts thereof, as my in vention, as defined in the appended claims, canbe embodied in a plurality and variety of forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention,exclusive of the water-detaining walls of the equipment.

Fig. 2 is a sectional, side elevational view of a preferred embodimentof the invention with drain attachment.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail, of a corner of the equipmentillustrating the manner of reinforcement thereof.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the preferred embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of theinvention fully set up for use and illustrating the filling and drainingattachments.

Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the frame of the preferred embodimentof the invention, in dismantled state for packing and transportation.

Fig. 7 is a development of the preferred embodiment of the inventionillustrating the method of stacking and arranging the various elementsfor storing or transporting the same in an enclosing case.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the dismantled and packed preferredembodiment of the invention, not visible, enclosed within a transportingcase.

In its preferred form, the improved bed bath of the present inventionpreferably comprises a collapsible frame, a water retaining receptacleof flexible material removably suspended on said frame; said receptaclehaving a drain outlet therein, together with means on said frame formaintaining the walls of said receptacle in a tautened condition inoperative position whereby deformation thereof under water pressure iseffectively resisted, and means for rapidly filling and draining thesaid receptacle.

As particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 in clusive of the annexeddrawings, the improved equipment of my invention for use in thehandling, bathing and treatment of paraplegic patients comprises twomain elements; namely, a collapsible frame, designated generally by thereference numeral H, and a collapsible, flexible container orreceptacle, designated generally by the reference numeral it. The framepreferably is fabricated from metal tubular bars and consists of twocomplementary half-sections i3 and M which are adapted to be detachabl'ysecured together at the approximate longitudinal center of the completeframe by means of telescopic fitting of the sections together as well asby means of latching elements hereinafter described.

The half-sections l3 and H of frame II are of generally similarconstruction in that half-section |3 consists of an end portioncomprising a pair of spaced, parallel arranged bars l6 and I1, togetherwith a transversely disposed brace rod I8 spanning bars l6 and I1approximately at the longitudinal centers thereof and preferably weldedthereto. The half-section I3 of the frame II also includes two half-sideportions, designated generally by the reference numerals |9 and 20, eachconsisting of a pair of spaced bars 2|, 22, 23 and 24 with thecorresponding bars 2| and 22 of half-side |9 as well as thecorresponding bars 23 and 24 of half-side arranged in parallelrelationship as well as spaced apart, as shown. In addition, eachhalf-side portion of the frame half-section I3 is provided with spacedtransverse brace rods 25 spanning the spaced parallel bars of suchsections and preferably welded thereto. As illustrated, the bar l6 ofthe end portion of frame half-section |3 spans the bars 2| and 23 of theside portions and is pivotally connected to each of said bars by meansof suitable pivot or hinge pins 26 and 21, respectively. Similarly, thebar ll of the end portion of frame half-sections |3 spans the bars 22and 24 of the half-side portions and is pivotally connected to such barsby means of suitable pivot or hinge pins 28 and 29, respectively.Suitable lock-nuts 30 are provided for securing the pivot pins 26 to 29inclusive in position.

Frame half-section H has a generally similar construction ashalf-section l3 of frame II, and includes an end portion comprising apair of spaced, parallel arranged bars 36 and 31, together with atransversely disposed brace rod 38 spanning bars 36 and 3'! at theirapproximate longitudinal centers and preferably welded thereto. Thehalf-section M of frame II also includes two half-side portions,designated generally by the reference numerals 39 and 40, eachconsisting of a pair of spaced bars 4|, 42, 43 and 44 with thecorresponding bars 4| and 42 of halfside portion 39 as well as thecorresponding bars 43 and 44 of half-side portion 4|] arranged inspaced, parallel relationship, as shown. In addition, each half-sideportion of the frame halfframe half-section |4 spans the bars 4| and 43of the half-side portions, and is pivotally connected to each of saidbars by means of suitable pivot or hinge pins 46 and 41, respectively.Similarly, the bar 3'! of the end portion of frame half-section |4 spansthe bars 42 and 44 of the half-side portions and is pivotally connectedto such bars by means of suitable pivot or hinge pins 48 and 49,respectively. Suitable lock-nuts 5|] are provided for securing the pivotpins 46 to 49 inclusive in position.

In accordance with the present invention, latching means are providedfor removably securing together the complementary frame halfsections l3and I4 of the frame II in upright and operative positions. To this end,the side portions of one frame half-section, say the bars 2| to 24inclusive of frame half-section l3, are formed with reduced free, innerends, as indicated at 5| in Fig. 6 of the drawings, in order that suchreduced ends 5| may be telescopically 4 fitted into the complementarytubular bars 4| to 44 inclusive of the frame half-section H which are ofuniform cross-section throughout. Moreover, lips 52 are provided on theinner ends of at least two of the bars, say the bars 4| and 43,

, of the side portions of frame half-section I4, for

releasably receiving links 53 pivotally carried on latching elements 54which are, in turn, pivotally mounted on the inner ends of the bars 2|and 23 of frame half-sections l3 adjacent to their inner, reduced ends5|. In setting up the frame H for use, the frame 'half-sections l3 and Hare first placed in an upright position and the half-side portions ofeach frame half-section are swung relative to their correspondingendportions on pivot or hinge pins 26 to 29 inclusive as well as pins 46to 49 inclusive to bring the halfside portions of the two half-sectionsI3 and I4 into alignment with one another and substantially normal totheir end portions. Then, the two half-sections are moved together withthe reduced ends 5| of bars 2| to 24 inclusive telescopically fittedinto the tubular bars 4| to 44 inclusive of the frame half-section M.The links 53 of the latching means are then swung over and under thelips 52 on bars 4| and 43 and. the tongues 55 of the latching elements54 depressed to urge the links 53 tightly under the lips 52 and to lockthem in such position where they will remain until the tongues 55 oflatching elements 54 are raised to release the links from the lips,whereupon the frame I I can as readily be dismantled as set up. To lendrigidity to the frame H in its set-up, operative position, I haveprovided a series of conventional hooks 56 and eyes 51 at the fourcorners of the frame which can be fastened together and unfastened atwill.

As particularly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings, Ipreferably form the ex tremities of the side bars of each of the framehalf-sections l3 and I4 so as to afford substantially flat stacking ofthese half-sections when the frame I has been dismantled and each of thehalf-sections folded upon itself. To this end, the side bars 2| and 22of frame half-section l3 and the side bars 4| and 42 of framehalf-section l4 are preferably off-set inwardly, as indicated at 58 and59, at their extremities adjacent to their connections with theircorresponding end portions, while the bars 23 and 24 of half-section |3and the bars 43 and 44 of half-section M are offset outwardly, asindicated at BI and 62, at their extremities adjacent to theirconnections with their corresponding end portions of the frame. In Fig.6 of the drawings, I have shown frame half-section |3 in dismantled andfolded condition for storing or transporting, which view illus-v tratesthe advantageous frame construction-just alluded to for effectingsubstantially flat stacking and packing. Frame half-section I4 issimilarly foldable in dismantled form; the two folded half-sectionsbeing illustrated at the left and right of Fig. '7 wherein I havedepicted a flexible case 63 of canvas or similar water-proof material inwhich the various members and elements of my improved bed bath can beencased for storing and transporting. As shown in Fig. 8, suitablefastening straps 64 as well as a carrying handle 65 are provided withthe flexible case 63 for convenience of carrying as well as for tightlyholding the elements of the bed bath therein.

The flexible container or tank 2 which I preferably employ in thepreferred embodiment of the present improved bed bath comprises arectangular sheet of water-proof material, preferably commerciallyavailable rubber sheeting, which is provided with a series of spacedgrommets H along all edges thereof for receiving conventional showercurtain rings or hooks 12, or the like, whereby the receptacle or tank12 may be removably suspended from the frame bars 2!, M, 36, 43, 23 andIt, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 of the annexed drawings. Thepressure of what filling or partially filling the container or tank [2will hold the sheet in a tautened condition, and this tautening of thesheeting is augmented by the transverse bars 25 and 45 along the sidesas well as by transverse bars [8 and 38 at the ends thereof; thesheeting being sufficiently strong to resist deformation and leakage.The sheet is of suflicient width and length to permit over-lapping atthe four corners of the tank, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and. 5,thereby affording reinforcement means, and suitable male and female snapfasteners '13 are provided at such corners for securing the sheeting inover-lapped condition at such points. Moreover, the sheeting I2 isprovided with a drain outlet M therein at such location as to bedisposed in the defined bottom thereof and adjacent one corner thereof,as shown in Fig. 5, and with which a suitable drainage hose 16 may beplaced in communication by suitable coupling element, not shown, forcarrying the drainage away from the tank. Preferably, I provide with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention a commer cially availableautomatic pump for filling as well as draining the tank l2 rapidly andeffectively; such automatic pump means being marketed under thetrade-mark Siph-O and comprising the hose 16 together with a detachableadapter 11, see Fig. '7, having a rotatable valve therein, not shown,for controlling water fiow therethrough. The automatic pump element isreadily fitted either to a screw-bib threaded faucet or to a smooth typefaucet as the end 78 thereof is suitably threaded and shaped to effectsuch connections. The cone-shaped outlet end '19 of the adapter 11 isrotatable for operating the valve of such unit and in one position ofthe valve, with the adapter attached to a source of water, such as to afaucet outlet, water can be drained from the tank 12 by force of vacuumor suction through water pressure in the line to which the adapter isconnected. In the opposite position of the valve of the adapter 17,water flow is directed through the adapter and hose "it directly intothe tank I2 to fill the same; it being understood, of course, that hose16 is first detached or unfastened from the drainage outlet 14 and thelatter closed with a plug, not shown. To drain the tank [2 rapidly afteruse, the outlet plug is removed and hose l9 placed in communication withdrain outlet 74, and the valve of the adapter 11 adjusted. Thereafter,the faucet to which the adapter 11 is connected is turned on and byforce of vacuum created by water pressure, the tank I2 is automaticallyand rapidly emptied. To complete the tank l2 unit of the bed bath, Ihave provided a flexible pillow 8|, which preferably comprises astandard water bag that can readily be filled and emptied through itscapped outlet and inlet 82, see Figs. 2 and 7 of the drawings.

The improved bed bath of my present invention, because of its relativelylight-weight construction as well as because of the collapsible naturethereof, can readily and easily be set up as well as taken down, and caneffectively be set up on a patients bed without discomfort orconvenience to the patient and without damaging the patients bed evenwhen filled with water as the total filledweight thereof is easilysupported by a conventional hospital bed. My improved bed bath has beensuccessfully employed in a military hospital at the Presidio at SanFrancisco in connection with the treatment of paraplegic cases, and hasbeen approved by nurses and doctors alike. The bed bath is highlyefficacious for under water hydrotherapy for exer cising paralyzedpersons, and also for immersing a patient having heart trouble orafiected with nervous disorders in relaxing warm water. Because of itsconstruction and its collapsible features, the entire bed bath can beset up as well as dismantled, assembled and packed in a space in fromthree to five minutes. Because of its light weight, the bed bath can becarried about with ease.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded arange of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advance made overthe prior art.

I claim:

1. A bed bath comprising a collapsible frame consisting of a pair ofcomplementary frame half-sections removably fastened together; each ofsaid frame half-sections consisting of an end portion and a pair ofhalf-side portions, a waterretaining flexible container removablysuspended on said frame; said container having a drain outlet therein,and means for enhancing the rigidity of said frame when said containeris filled with water.

2. A bed bath comprising a collapsible frame, and a water-retainingcontainer removably suspended on said frame; said collapsible framecomprising a pair of complementary frame halfsections each consisting ofan end portion of spaced parallel tubular bars pivotally connected to apair of half-side portions consisting of spaced, tubular bars; one ofsaid frame halfsections being formed with half-side portions havingreduced extremities for telescopically fitting the tubular bars of theother pair of halfside portions of the other frame half-section, andreleasable latching means on said frame for fastening said sectionstogether in upright, usable positions.

3. A bed bath as defined in claim 2, the tubular bars of one of saidframe half-sections being offset inwardly adjacent to their connectionswith said end portion, and the tubular bars of the other of said framehalf-sections being offset outwardly adjacent to their connections withtheir corresponding end portion whereby the frame may be stacked uponits collapse.

CHARLES ARTHUR HOFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 530,599 Von Oheimb Dec. 11, 18941,307,942 Volters June 24, 1919 1,451,437 Bernier Apr. 10, 19231,738,017 Phillips Dec. 3, 1929 1,753,427 Phillips Apr. 8, 1930 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 8,205 Great Britain May 15, 1902 335,638France Sept. 30, 1903

